By Shelby Brooks
American bulk buy superstore Costco will put $50 million into opening one of its membership warehouses in Officer South when plans are approved.
Reports on Tuesday 7 June revealed Costco Wholesale planned to invest $150m into opening three new stores in Victoria, at about $50m each, in Melbourne’s CBD, Geelong and Officer.
Costco managing director Patrick Noone said the company was “very excited” its next Victorian warehouse would be located in Officer South, in the new Kaduna Business Park development.
“This will be our fifth warehouse in Melbourne, which is a region Costco sees as dynamic and fast-growing. We believe we can offer this diverse community great value with our wide range of products and services,” he said.
“We are currently working with the council and state government for final approvals ahead of starting construction.”
Other media have reported that Costco intend to take one year to open each new store.
Costco is a membership warehouse club offering thousands of bulk-buy items at low costs including groceries, electronics and general merchandise.
Considered a ‘destination shop’, Costco Australia first opened in Melbourne’s Docklands in 2009.
The closest store to the South East operates near the Moorabbin Airport.
Mike Petrovich, chairman of the Officer Community Association, was surprised to learn Costco would be built in the business park, rather than in the land opposite the shire offices on Siding Avenue slated for commercial use.
“I don’t know why Costco would go there rather than in the busiest part of Officer,” Mr Petrovich said.
“We thought Coles and those types had properties [on Siding Avenue], but there’s been nothing in the way of development taking place.
“They called it the hub of Officer years ago.”
Mr Petrovich said until bigger businesses opened in Officer, small businesses wouldn’t be able to flourish.
“You wouldn’t open a cafe next to a paddock, it would be very very risky,” he said.
“The community thinks, and association members have said before, you wouldn’t start a small business like a sandwich or coffee shop down there until more people are brought into the area by bigger development, at the moment we only get through traffic.”
He hopes Costco will be beneficial for the community and could signal the beginning of other large businesses choosing to open in Officer.
“We want what’s best for Officer and to leave the place a little better when we’re gone,” Mr Petrovich said.
“The population in Officer is expanding rapidly.
“We have lots of schools built but not a lot of commercial development in Officer at the moment.”
A Cardinia Shire spokesperson said Costco had a proposed Planning Scheme Amendment currently sitting with Cardinia Shire Council for consideration to be built as part of the 92 hectare McMullin Group Industrial subdivision on Cardinia Road.
“The proposed Costco requires the Victorian Government to approve the Planning Scheme Amendment, as the current planning controls in the dated Cardinia Road Employment Precinct Structure Plan does not allow Costco to be built on the proposed site,” they said.
“Council officers have had numerous discussions with the Victorian Government requesting that the modernisation of the planning controls be fast tracked to facilitate and unlock the land for the delivery of local jobs like the proposed Costco.
“This is an ongoing discussion between the council, the developers and the Victorian Government.”
The spokesperson said a planning permit had been issued for the subdivision of the Kaduna Park Business Park and the council believes works will commence in the coming year to deliver the first stage.
Overall, the Kaduna Business Park will have around 100 lots for businesses to establish there.
